Found Book One

Rescue Mission

I wake up before the sun rises, I change my shirt and tie my sweater around my waist. I grab my gun before I head toward the door. "Hey kid," Daryl's voice sounds. "Daddy?" I ask as I turn toward the front of the church. 

Him and Rick are standing with a young man that I don't know, "Are you okay?" I ask him, "Yeah," he says as he walks toward me. I hug him tightly because I forget about my stitches. I push away from him, "You okay, Monkey?" he asks. 

"Yeah, I just got shot. Not like I'm dead," I say. Daryl stares at me for a second. "Daddy?" Mika squeals as she jumps for Daryl. Daryl wraps his arms around her with a small smile, "Where's mom," she asks. 

"She's in a hospital in Atlanta," he tells her. "Found Beth there too," he says. "How?" Michonne questions. Daryl hugs us again. 

"I saw the car that took Beth after the prison, when me and Carol left to go for a walk. We followed it and Noah is here to help us get them back," he says still holding us tightly.

"The people ran Carol down and took her away," he says causing Mika to look up at him with wide eyes.

"Is she okay?" Mika asks Daryl nods. "She's alive at least," he replies walking into the building with us behind him.

I frown and Mika sits on the floor in the middle of the aisle. I bend down beside her, "Mika, look at me," I command in a soft voice. She glances up at me with teary blue orbs. I grab her shoulders.

"Your mom is one of the strongest women I know. And I wouldn't be surprised if every single one of those cops was already dead," I say trying to keep a brave face.

She nods and I stand pulling her up with me. Rick and the others start talking over a plan. 

"We have a plan," Rick says, "Let's get everyone ready. Then we roll out," he announces. I watch as the only people left in the group pack to go to Atlanta, "I'm staying," Michonne says to Rick, "Before you even try to argue, they need someone here. Gabriel can't fight and Elaine's injured," she says. 

Rick nods, "Okay," he says, "They you stay." He walks over to me and bends down and lifts Judith from my arms. He kisses his daughter and then moves over to his son.

Mika is snuggled under my arm I move slightly so I can boop the end of her nose. She looks at me, I give her a smile of reassurance. Daryl squeezes my shoulder.

"I love you," he whispers kissing the side of my head. I smile and tuck myself under his arm.

"Keep the girls safe," he says hugging his two children close to him. "Come here," Daryl says motioning to Mika.

She walks over to our father and steps into his arms. "Come back to us, with Carol," I say into his leather vest.

He nods kissing my forehead. "I will, Beth too. They're both alive and we'll all come back," he whispers. Sasha, Noah, Rick, Tyrese, and Daryl all leave the church.

Michonne hands me Judith once they leave so she can get to work nailing up the door. 

Carl looks back at Gabriel who is sitting on the floor trying to scrape the dried blood from the hardwood.

Mika is playing tic tac toe by herself. Michonne is humming to a sleepy Judith. Carl moves in front of the uniformed man.

He lays out all the weapons Rick and the others left behind for us. "Pick one," he says pointing to the line of weapons.

Gabriel shakes his head and continues with the cleaning. "You need to learn how to defend yourself. We can teach you," Carl says.

"Defend myself?" Gabriel asks, "They said they'd go." Carl bends down slightly, "They were liars and murders," he says. Gabriel stops his movements, "So they were just like us?" he asks.

Carl shakes his head, "We protected ourselves. They wanted us dead. Those people would've killed us in cold blood then eaten us. We have a baby, they would've killed her."

Carl says his voice slowly rising. "You're lucky your church has lasted this long," he spits turning away. "Now you can't stay in one place anymore," he mumbles.

"People come and they take what you have and they kill the people you love, just because you have something," he says. 

"Well, not for too long. And once you're out there. Y-you're gonna find trouble you can't hide from. And you're gonna need to know how to fight." Michonne looks over at me.

I frown and watch as Gabriel picks up a machete. "Good choice," he says.

Carl tells him how to use it and Gabriel gags. "I-I'm sorry, I need to go lie down," he says standing up and rushing into his office.

"He'll learn," Michonne says grabbing Carl's shoulder. He nods and moves to pick up his little sister.

I look over at Mika who is trying to get Michonne to play Life. Carl and I sit on the floor with Mika and the older woman.

"Now it's your turn to spin," the blonde girl says after dealing out the money. Carl's pinkie grazes my hand and I move to tangle my fingers with his and he smiles.

I turn my head to listen outside. Fast footsteps are approaching the church I point to the door. "Please! Let me in! They're coming!" Gabriel screams.

"PLEASE! P-Please don't leave me out here!" all of us stand as he starts pounding on the door.

Mika starts throwing supplies in her bag. Michonne hands me Judith and runs to the door with an ax.

Carl follows her, I grab Mika and a blanket for Judith. I push the young girl behind me.

Walkers rush in after Gabriel. Michonne whips out her sword, "GET BaCK!" she yells. Gabriel pushes us all into his office.

I lift my arm swiftly and stab a walker in the head. Carl catches me as I fall back. I give him a look. His hand moves to my side where blood is now filtering into my shirt.

Carl pulls me into the office, I look around for a way to get out. Michonne shuts the door and blocks it. Gabriel points to a hole in the floor.

"That! That's how I got out! Crawl under and to the back! Just go take the little ones and go!" he whispers holding the door tightly.

Judith cries as Carl takes her so I can I Mika down into the hole. She starts going toward the back.

Carl hands Judith back to me, he yells for me to leave. I start to crawl back when I hear Michonne stop Carl and tell him to wait. "Go to the fence and keep them safe," she yells to us.